Customizable shoe

ABSTRACT

An improved customizable shoe system that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes. The system includes a shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole, and one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe. The one or more enclosures each include an opening. A sheet containing one or more inserts corresponding in size and shape to the one or more enclosures, such that a user can remove the one or more inserts to be housed within the one or more enclosures.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an improved customizable shoe system, and more specifically for a shoe having one or more enclosures to accommodate corresponding inserts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various ornamental features have been added to footwear over the years. In addition, with the advent of the athletic shoe, walking shoe, or jogging type of shoe, enhanced coloration was added to the shoe, since most of such footwear is fabricated of a more cloth like material, with the exception of the sole, and cloth was more susceptible to having various colorations and different designs, for the select textile portions of such shoes as fabricated. For example, the back of a shoe may have been of one color, and the quarter portions may have been of a different color, in order to add different coloration to the footwear. Millions of these styles of fabricated shoes have been sold over the past thirty years, and in fact, that type of footwear probably constitutes the majority of contemporary footwear sales at least in the United States.

It is quite common for manufacturers to include various decorative designs on the shoes that they manufacture. For example, children's shoes typically are available with designs on their uppers and/or on visible portions of their heels. Such designs frequently include one or more decorative patterns, cartoon characters, sports team logos, or the like. Shoes having such designs are frequently quite popular, as they allow children to express their individual tastes. Unfortunately, most such designs are permanently printed or sewn onto the shoe. As a result, if the wearer wishes to display a different design on his shoes, he must then purchase a different shoe bearing the desired design. However, this can be costly and often impractical. Consequently, it would be desirable to have a technique that would permit a pair of shoes to be decorated once, and then when the owner's taste changes or when the owner merely tires of that design, he could remove the design and replace it with another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an improved customizable shoe system that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes. The system includes a shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole, and one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe. The one or more enclosures each include an opening. A sheet containing one or more inserts corresponding in size and shape to the one or more enclosures, such that a user can remove the one or more inserts to be housed within the one or more enclosures.

According to another embodiment of this invention, there is disclosed a disclosed an improved customizable shoe that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes. The shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole, and one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe. The one or more enclosures each include an opening.

According to another embodiment of this invention, there is disclosed an improved customizable shoe system that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes. The system includes a shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole, and one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe. The one or more enclosures each include an opening. One or more shallow cut-out portions are embedded on the upper of the shoe underneath each of the one or more enclosures. A sheet containing one or more inserts corresponding in size and shape to the one or more enclosures, such that a user can remove the one or more inserts to be housed within the one or more enclosures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure, operation, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures (Figs.). The figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Certain elements in some of the figures may be omitted, or illustrated not-to-scale, for illustrative clarity. The cross-sectional views may be in the form of “slices”, or “near-sighted” cross-sectional views, omitting certain background lines which would otherwise be visible in a “true” cross-sectional view, for illustrative clarity.

In the drawings accompanying the description that follows, both reference numerals and legends (labels, text descriptions) may be used to identify elements. If legends are provided, they are intended merely as an aid to the reader, and should not in any way be interpreted as limiting.

FIG. 1 illustrates a front, three dimensional view of the improved customizable shoe, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front, three dimensional view of the improved customizable shoe including the ornamental inserts, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front, three dimensional view of a sheet of printable inserts to be disposed within the enclosures of the improved customizable shoe, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded, three dimensional view of an embodiment of the improved customizable shoe including a digital display housed within an enclosure, in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the description that follows, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations of these specific details are possible while still achieving the results of the present invention. Well-known processing steps are generally not described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obfuscating the description of the present invention.

In the description that follows, exemplary dimensions may be presented for an illustrative embodiment of the invention. The dimensions should not be interpreted as limiting. They are included to provide a sense of proportion. Generally speaking, it is the relationship between various elements, where they are located, their contrasting compositions, and sometimes their relative sizes that is of significance.

In the drawings accompanying the description that follows, often both reference numerals and legends (labels, text descriptions) will be used to identify elements. If legends are provided, they are intended merely as an aid to the reader and should not in any way be interpreted as limiting.

In a wardrobe, a consumer typically possesses many outfits, each having a different style, color, and/or design. Thus, in order to ensure that one's shoes match or accent all of the outfits in one's wardrobe, a consumer is often forced to purchase several pairs of shoes. Consequently, because a single pair of athletic shoes is typically expensive, purchasing enough pairs of shoes to complement one's wardrobe can become very costly for the consumer. In a society of diverse culture and interests with constant craving for changes and strong fashion trend, a shoe design will become obsolete even before its newness has worn off. There is therefore a demand for a shoe which has an outer surface or upper design that can be varied as necessary to meet the trend or fashion of the times or the preference of the wearer.

The improved customizable shoe system 10 seeks to remedy this, by creating a system by which the user can adjust the aesthetics of a single pair of shoes. The customizable shoe system 10 enables a wearer to personalize their shoes, for instance, by exhibiting any selected design, ornament, or logo at predetermined enclosures about the shoe. The ornamental inserts 20 on the shoe upper may be changed from day to day and may even effectuate a total redesign of the shoe's look and feel. The inserts 20 can be swapped by the user with different colors and textures to create interesting and new looks using the same base shoe 11.

Aa seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the improved customizable shoe system 10 is designed as a shoe 11 having a changeable aesthetic, including one or more transparent enclosures 18 disposed about the shoe which house inserts 20. The user has the option of printing a variety of various inserts 20 from a digital downloadable template, including inserts 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c, which correspond in shape and dimension to the one or more enclosures 18, including enclosures 18 a, 18 b, and 18 c. It is obviously intended that the concept of the customizable shoe 10 detailed hereinafter is designed for both shoes in a pair, although it is within the terms of the embodiment that only one shoe be utilized.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , a standard shoe body 11 is shown, including a sole 21 and an upper 15 attached to the sole. The upper 15 is connected to the sole, and extends from around the edges of the sole 21. The upper 15 includes a collar 13, tongue 17, a heel portion 12, and toe cap 16.

A top opening 21 for insertion of the foot is defined, including the tongue 17 having a plurality of eyelets 24 formed on the peripheral edges thereof, and a shoelace 26 inserted into the eyelets 24. While FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 illustrate a traditional sneaker or tennis shoe, it is within the terms of the embodiment that any style of shoe may be utilized as an element of the improved customizable shoe 10 system.

The upper 15 includes a first side panel 15 a, a second side panel 15 b, and the toe panel 15 c. As previously stated, there are one or more enclosures 18 disposed on the shoe 11. In the illustrated embodiment, there is a first enclosure 18 a attached to the first side panel 15 a, a second enclosure 18 b attached to the second side panel 15 b, and a third enclosure 18 c attached to the toe panel 15 c. It must be noted that while three enclosures 18 are included on the present embodiment, this is no way limiting, and any desired amounts of enclosures may be utilized.

FIG. 1 illustrates the shoe 11 prior to the inclusion of the inserts 20. The enclosures 18 may be mounted to the shoe in any desired fashion, such as an adhesive, or heat sealing. They may have any desired shape and dimension. Each of the enclosures 18 includes an opening 28, through which the inserts 20 may be enclosed.

As illustrated, enclosure 18 a includes opening 28 a, enclosure 18 b includes opening 28 b, and enclosure 18 c includes opening 28 c. The openings 28 must be very limited in size, such that the inserts 20, once enclosed within the enclosures 18, will not be easily jarred loose from within. However, the openings 28 will have enough slack to allow the user to quickly remove and interchange various inserts 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates the shoe 11 subsequently to the inclusion of the inserts 20. As illustrated, there are three inserts 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c. Each of the inserts 20 a-20 c corresponds in shape and dimension to its respective enclosure 18 a-18 c. Each of the inserts 20 a-20 c may include any desired symbols, graphic representations, or a linguistic expression. For example, the inserts 20 a-20 c may exhibit a logo, a brand name, a person's name, a sports franchise symbol, and/or a comic-book character. The ornamental features may take the form of a geometrical design in one or more colors, a silhouette or cameo of an animate object such as an animal, a silhouette or cameo of a manufactured item such as a car, a word or slogan, etc. The inserts 20 may be constructed of any desired material, such as paper, plastic, vinyl, and Velcro.

The plurality of inserts 20 a-20 c may be used together on the shoe 11 to generate an ornamental pattern. For instance, where several of the inserts 20 a-20 c carry respective words or symbols, the ornamental elements may be positioned in a recognizable sequence on a shoe upper to generate a phrase or sentence. Words may be positioned adjacent to graphic representations to generate a composite message. The relative spacing and positions of the inserts 20 a-20 c on a shoe may be modified to generate messages of different meanings.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the inserts 20 a-20 c may be generated on a sheet 19. A user may print out the sheet 19 on a home printer, and easily substitute various inserts 20 by printing new inserts 20 with updated designs. In this manner, the improved customizable shoe 10 provides an inexpensive and expedient way for the user to modify the aesthetics of the shoe 11. The sheet 19 of inserts 20 may be sold together with the shoe 10, or separately.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the improved customizable shoe 10. In this embodiment, one or more shallow cut-out portions 29 is embedded on side panel 15 a of upper 15 of the shoe 11. The one or more shallow cut-out portions 29 is disposed underneath the one or more enclosures 18. A digital screen 30 may be housed within the cut-out portion 29, and remains in place as it is firmly secured with the enclosure 18. Although only one cut-out portion 29 and one digital screen 30 is illustrated, it is within the terms of the embodiment that there be a multitude of digital screens and cut-out portions to house them.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, certain equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, etc.) the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more features of the other embodiments as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. 

1. An improved customizable shoe system that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes, comprising; a shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole; one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe; the one or more enclosures each including an opening; and a sheet containing one or more inserts from a digital downloadable template corresponding in size and shape to the one or more enclosures, such that a user can remove the one or more inserts to be housed within the one or more enclosures.
 2. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a pair of shoes, each having the identical inclusions of the one or more enclosures disposed about the shoes.
 3. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 1, wherein the upper includes a collar, tongue, a heel portion, and toe cap.
 4. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 3, wherein the upper includes a first side panel, a second side panel, and a toe panel.
 5. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 4, wherein a first enclosure is attached to the first side panel, a second enclosure is attached to the second side panel, and a third enclosure is attached to the toe panel.
 6. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 1, wherein the one or more transparent enclosures are mounted to the shoe with an adhesive.
 7. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 1, wherein the one or more transparent enclosures are heat sealed to the shoe.
 8. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 1, wherein the openings of the one or more enclosures are limited in size, such that the one or more inserts, once enclosed within the enclosures, will not be easily jarred loose from within, but with sufficient slack to allow a user to quickly remove and interchange the one or more inserts.
 9. An improved customizable shoe that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes, comprising; a shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole; one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe; and the one or more enclosures each including an opening.
 10. The improved customizable shoe of claim 9, wherein one or more inserts corresponding in size and shape to the one or more enclosures, can be housed within the one or more enclosures.
 11. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 9, wherein the upper includes a first side panel, a second side panel, and a toe panel.
 12. The improved customizable shoe of claim 11, wherein a first enclosure is attached to the first side panel, a second enclosure is attached to the second side panel, and a third enclosure is attached to the toe panel.
 13. The improved customizable shoe of claim 9, wherein the one or more transparent enclosures are mounted to the shoe with an adhesive.
 14. The improved customizable shoe of claim 9, wherein the one or more transparent enclosures are heat sealed to the shoe.
 15. The improved customizable shoe of claim 9, wherein the openings of the one or more enclosures are limited in size, such that the one or more inserts, once enclosed within the enclosures, will not be easily jarred loose from within, but with sufficient slack to allow a user to quickly remove and interchange the one or more inserts.
 16. An improved customizable shoe system that enables a wearer to personalize their shoes, comprising; a shoe including a sole and an upper extending about edges of the sole; one or more transparent enclosures disposed about the shoe; the one or more enclosures each including an opening; one or more shallow cut-out portions embedded on the upper of the shoe underneath each of the one or more enclosures; and a sheet containing one or more inserts corresponding in size and shape to the one or more enclosures, such that a user can remove the one or more inserts to be housed within the one or more enclosures.
 17. The improved customizable shoe of claim 16, wherein a digital screen may be housed within the cut-out portion embedded on the upper of the shoe, and remains in place as it is firmly secured with the enclosure.
 18. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 17, wherein a first enclosure is attached to the first side panel, a second enclosure is attached to the second side panel, and a third enclosure is attached to the toe panel.
 19. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 18, wherein the one or more transparent enclosures are mounted to the shoe with an adhesive.
 20. The improved customizable shoe system of claim 18, wherein the one or more transparent enclosures are heat sealed to the shoe. 